Jared Miley scores a Hat Trick on Diehl Auto Group Night

Sodeman hits Black Jack in Ti22 Sprints

Kevin Bolland scores a heartbreaking win over Steve Feder

AJ Flick steals a win from Corey McPherson on a late race restart

Sarver, PA (May 25, 2012) On a hot & steamy night that seemed much more August than the end of May, Budweiser Points leader Jared Miley scored a hat trick with his third win of the season in the Precise Late Models. Jack Sodeman Jr. took the lead on lap 11 to hit Black Jack for his first feature win of the season in the Ti22 Sprints. Kevin Bolland and AJ Flick both used late race passes over Steve Feder and Corey McPherson to win the Diehl Mods and Pic-A-Part Sportsman features respectively.

Friday Night’s feature action kicked off with Herman Bertolini and John Garvin Jr. leading the Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models to the green flag. Garvin, a.k.a. “The Copperhead”, jumped out to the early lead while Budweiser points leader and two-time feature winner in 2012 Jared Miley got by Bertolini for second. Doug Eck jumped into the mix challenging Miley for second and making heavy contact with him in turn four to take the position away. Miley and Eck made contact again in turns one & two with Miley retaking second, but a caution for Tommy Beck (making his 2012 debut in a brand new Wylie Race Car), Marc Sallack and Mike Pegher Jr., gave the position back to Eck for the restart. But that was short-lived as Miley drove under Eck in turns three & four and began to pursue Garvin for the lead while Garrett Krummert reeled in and eventually passed Eck for third.

Another yellow flag waved on lap eight after Herman Bertolini was reminded of the front stretch wall’s undefeated record against any and all challengers. Krummert relinquished third and rolled into the pits after puffing smoke the previous lap. Garvin maintained a slight lead on the restart only to see yet another caution on lap nine. On that restart, Miley drew even with Garvin in one & two and down the backstretch, but Garvin rocketed off the top of turn four to lead at the flagstand. The following lap, Miley took a slight lead in one & two then used a power slidejob in three & four to take a clear lead at the flagstand. The rest of the story kind of tells itself as the race was on for second behind Miley as he cruised away to his third feature win of the season; the 12th of his career to tie Brian Muehlman and Dave Thompson, just one behind Dick Swartzlander, Dick Barton and Gregg Satterlee.

Speaking of the race for second, after losing the lead to Miley, Garvin also gave way to Chuck Sarver whom followed Miley’s proverbial tire tracks underneath the rimriding Garvin. Sarver would take the position free & clear on lap 20 as Garvin slid of the top of turn two. Paired with his earlier heat race win, Sarver’s second place feature finish capped his best night of racing at the Action Track and a well deserved one at that as you won’t find a nicer driver or a better kempt race car!

Mike Pegher Jr., (making his 2012 debut in car owner Lynn Geisler’s #1 Cochran Super Late Model), also drove under Garvin in turns one & two in the closing laps to steal third away from Garvin. Behind Garvin in fourth was Mike Johnson in fifth. The Precise Top Ten rounded out with Doug Eck, Michael Norris, Jeff Jones, Todd Bachman and Chris Schneider. Dan Swartzlander won the other Precise Late Model heat race, but did not start the feature due to engine issues.

The Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprints pushed off next with Danny Kuriger jumping out to the early lead from the pole, but Andy McKisson brought out a caution trying to use a slidejob to take second away from Todd Bauer in turn four. McKisson collected “Cowboy” Brian Steinman and took a ride on the business end of a tow truck before being credited with a lap. Kuriger took the lead again on the restart, but heat race winner Jack Sodeman Jr. shot to the front quickly from seventh (and then sixth) on the grid. The leaders quickly entered lapped traffic, with Sodeman and May 4 feature winner Pete Miller III chasing Kuriger. A caution and ensuing restart on lap 11 for Davey Jones was the break Sodeman was looking for as he took a slight lead low in turns one & two and used a textbook slidejob in turns three & four to take the lead for good. A pair of cautions, (on unlucky lap 13 for Carl Bowser who broke entering turn one and on lap 14 for Rod George who spun in turn four and collected Brent Matus), delayed the inevitable, but once at the point, Sodeman checked out for his first feature win of the season.

Once again, the race was on for second and Scott Priester rose to the occasion making his 2012 Action Track debut in his own #11. For the second week in a row, Pete Miller III was engaged in a battle with a fellow young gun for third. Last week he out-dueled Brandon Matus for the position, but this week he was beat to the checkered flag by Wooster, OH pilot Danny Mumaw. Mumaw, with a Wayne County Speedway victory to his credit this season, squirted under Miller in the last turn to steal third. Miller followed in fourth ahead Kevin Schaeffer in fifth. The Ti22 Top Ten shook out with early leader Dan Kuriger, Todd Bauer, Eric “Turkey” Williams, (whom PA Announcer Dow Carnahan described as “running the Mark Cassella groove above the cushion”), Gary Rankin and Brandon Matus. Sodeman and Schaeffer checkered their respective heat races.

The fine folks from Diehl Auto Group were on hand as the program’s weekly sponsor and they were almost treated to a career first Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modified feature win for young gun Steve Feder. Feder took the lead from the pole at the drop of the green flag and held off future Hall of Famer Kevin Bolland for 24 laps with the best run of his career in a caution-free race. But as the leaders approached turn one on the final lap, Feder hesitated for a fraction of a second as a pair of lapped cars raced side-by-side ahead of them and Bolland pounced, taking the bottom and the lead. Feder could only chase Bolland to the checkered flag and wait to fulfill his dream of scoring that sacred career first feature win at the Action Track. For Bolland, it was his second win of the season and 55th of his Lernerville career. The win was made all the more impressive by the 200+ man hours of labor required to get the #777 ready for action after a nasty wreck with Dave Murdick at the BRP Modified Tour opener at Eriez Speedway last Sunday Night.

Feder had to settle for a career best finish of second ahead of All Time wins leader Brian Swartzlander in third, Dave Murdick in fourth and NY invader Brian Weaver in fifth. Mike Turner, Dean Pearson, Eric Gabany, Carl Murdick and Phil Evans Jr. rounded out the Diehl Top Ten. Bolland and Swartzlander claimed heat race victories.

For the second feature in a row, Defending Track Champion Jeremiah Shingledecker was claimed by the gremlins as he broke on lap 21 exiting turn four running third and rolled into the infield; officially scored with a DNF in 16th.

The weather was still warm and muggy as All Time Wins leader Joe Kelley and current Budweiser Points leader Corey McPherson brought the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman field to the green flag. Kelley jumped out to the quick lead while Jim Fosnaught challenged McPherson for second. Fosnaught took second from McPherson at the flagstand and challenged Kelley for the lead in one & two. McPherson and Fosnaught swapped second a few times, before a caution waved on lap five. Kelley took a slight lead into turn one, but Fosnaught nosed ahead on three & four, but (near?) contact sent Fosnaught up the track, off the gas and drilled from behind by Chris Schneider who had nowhere to go. Fosnaught went pitside to make repairs and did return, but was a couple laps down. Kelley maintained the lead on the restart, but never got up to speed on said restart and retired to the infield after limping to the back straightaway.

One that lap six restart, two-time 2012 feature winner and current Budweiser Points leader Corey McPherson assumed the lead and looked prime to match Jared Miley’s hat trick earlier in the evening. By lap 18, McPherson had stretched his lead to almost a full straightaway over a three-car blanket party for third being contested between AJ Flick, Greg Beach and Defending Track Champion Mike Miller. Brett McDonald and Scott Bowman got crossed up at the apex of turns three & four, setting up a late race restart and that was bad news for Corey McPherson; he reported after the race that his water temperature was over 300 degrees and the car just wouldn’t go. AJ Flick didn’t have that problem and his car sure did go, right to the lead on the final restart. McPherson had enough power left to chase Flick to the checkered flag, but not enough to make an attempt to retake the lead. AJ Flick scored his first win since taking two races in three weeks in late summer 2010.

McPherson settled for second, but needed a push back to the pits and is hoping the engine did not sustain significant damage. Rob Shook (third), Greg Beach (fourth), Wayne Carbo (fifth), Mike Miller (sixth) and Pat Hanley (seventh) all battled for spots in the top five with some great, clean racing throughout the 20-lap feature. Chris Schneider recovered from his early contact with McPherson to salvage an eighth place finish ahead of last week’s feature winner Terry Young in ninth and Ryan Moyer in tenth. Speaking of Ryan Moyer, he won his heat race, as did Wayne Carbo and AJ Flick.

Next Friday, June 1 is Nostalgia Night and local racing media icon Don Gamble has a dozen cars and dozens of drivers in various stages of retirement lined up to reminisce about the 40+ year history of Don Martin’s Lernerville Speedway. The PA Vintage Dirt Modifieds will also be on hand for an exhibition of the old coupes and Modifieds of days gone by. The always popular #1 Cochran Fan Appreciation Night and Holiday Races with Fireworks (June 15), Fab Four Racing Mid-Season Championships (June 22) and the 6th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com (June 28-29-30) are all fast approaching!

For complete results and to view the entire 2012 schedule, log on to www.Lernerville.com! Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for all the newest videos that were uploaded from last night’s Fab Four Racing program. Budweiser Points will be posted Sunday Morning at Lernerville.com.

Contact: Lernerville Speedway

Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director

(724) 664-1075 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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